Fillers

Activities which serve to fill in an indeterminate amount of spare time, but which appear to be planned and coherent.

As you try these activities out in your classes, if you find that the instructions need modification or if you would like to contribute a modified or a different idea, please contact ELT Concourse.
If you are contributing an activity it would be very helpful if you could follow the format used here.
Where possible the sources of the various activities are acknowledged but most are lost in the mists of time – any information about origins will be welcomed and incorporated.

20 questions	A traditional activity which generates a lot of language practice.
Sentence auctions	This is just one example of a very flexible and repeatable activity which can focus on a range of language.
Kim’s game	A memory game which can be varied to match the level of the class and the lexical/structural focus.
Storyboard	An activity which requires learners to construct a text from scratch and can be varied for level as well as repeated.
Treasure hunts	An activity which requires learners to get out of the classroom and be precise in giving directions.
Five senses dictation	An intriguing exercise to recycle lexis and really get some discussion going.
Unjumbling dialogues	A good activity which is almost infinitely variable and repeatable.
Pelmanism (memory)	A memory testing activity to recycle lexis.
How many words?	Also known as "Radiotherapy", this activity can be used to stretch your learners' lexical skills.
Heads and tails	This is excellent pronunciation practice, repeatable and flexible regarding level.
The right side of the board	Ways of reviewing vocabulary at the end of a lesson. Repeatable and productive.
Categories	An excellent way to review and consolidate lexis.
Call my bluff	Better for more able learners but an intriguing and challenging team exercise.
Implanted words	An activity which requires fluency and imagination to insert particular words into natural communication.
Word combs	A challenging (and often noisy) team game to revise vocabulary and have some fun.
Back to the board	Recycling vocabulary and setting a challenge.
Laura's conditional cards	A great little game using a pack of cards and some easy mingling to practise conditionals.
A word puzzle	An interesting and challenging one-off puzzle.